Armyworm infestation sweeps across Texoma yards

By Daniella Rivera&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Tue 6:39 PM, Aug 26, 2014&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Tue 7:25 PM, Aug 26, 2014

SHERMAN, Texas -- A highly invasive species is destroying Texoma lawns. Armyworms cause damage during their larva stage, when they're caterpillars, eating just about any plant in sight. Daniella Rivera reports on how you can keep your lawn safe.

"I looked down and it looked like my ground was literally crawling," said Sherman resident Angie Jones.

Her lawn was crawling with armyworms, a highly invasive species that's now attacking Texoma yards.

"Oh my gosh! What is going on!' That's what I thought! And I thought 'I've never seen anything like this before,'" Jones told News 12.

Experts say the caterpillars will eat almost any plant in sight--something Jones knows all too well, "It's eaten up all my St.Aaugustine, so if you have St.Augustine or if you notice brown spots in your grass, or I noticed I have a lot of birds in the yard..that's a good sign or indication that you have armyworms."

"They've been here all season long, it's just a re-hatch. Basically they lay their eggs and then they re-hatch out of their eggs and what you see of the armyworm is actually their larva," said Bryan Graham at Twin Oaks Nursery in Denison.

He says they're not harmful to humans, and a number of insecticides can help get rid of them, just check the label to make sure the active ingredient fights armyworms.

Graham says eventually the larva will progress through their next two life stages, and the adult moths will then lay eggs. A seemingly never ending cycle that can leave your yard bare.

"It basically looks like it's been burned," said Jones looking at her yard post-armyworm infestation.

We've also heard reports of armyworm infestations in Denison, Tom Bean, Bonham, and in some of our Oklahoma viewing areas.

And one local feed store told us in just one day, they sold out of products to fight the invasive larva.

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